Butterflies pollinate many lilies, whose flowers are “revolver flowers.” The b’fly must revolve around the flower, sipping nectar from each tepal. The lower margins of the tepals of L. catesbaei curl in to make a nectar tube. 📷: L. catesbaei Jay Horn CCBY4. #Pollination #Liliaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
🌴 Scott Zona, Ph.D. 🌴
What are the pollinators of Lilium pardanthinum (📷: 通通 CCBYNC4)? 🤷♂️ It’s another Himalayan beauty from 2700–4100 m., SW Sichuan & NW Yunnan, China. It was formerly classified in the genus Nomocharis, which is now a synonym of Lilium. #Lilium #Pollination #Liliaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
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Let’s look at Lilium, one of my favorite genera. I love variations on the basic floral plan. Pollination is especially interesting (but not as well studied as you’d hope). Lilies offer nectar from the grooves on the tepals. 📷: L. ‘Baferrari’ with yellow nectar grooves. #Liliaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Note the whorled leaves on this species. Most lilies have alternate leaves, but some have whorled leaves.
Butterflies aren’t the only pollinators of lilies. Lilium grayi (📷: Tara Rose Littlefield CCBYNC4) is endemic to a small area in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the US & attracts hummingbirds as its pollinators. #Lilium #Pollination #Liliaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Lilium lancifolium is an Asian species with down-facing, orange flowers with dark spots. Our Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio glaucus) knows how to navigate (revolve) around the flower. Pollen is picked up & deposited by the wings. #Lilium #Pollination #Liliaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
